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Month: May 2017

As this Sunday marks the 9th anniversary of when I had my first symptoms of Dystonia, I would like to talk about how much of a personal struggle it has been since being diagnosed and what such a life changing rollercoaster it has been.Literally with so many ups and downs, this has truly been a life changing experience.

Looking back back I think and actually this still sticks with me now, the hardest knock was having to admit defeat and give up my career as a plumbing engineer, something I had spent many years working hard for and I was on an excellent wage and really settled in my work , which was going from strength to strength. Very rarely was I reliant on anyone or anything, I was financially sound and totally dependant on me. It was great.

I was playing semi professional rugby and my social life was great, one reason being I had no money issues, I was able to go out drinking and on holidays with my friends at the drop of a hat. Things were certainly more straight forward. No issues ! No stress ! Plenty of money ! Life was good, really good and then BOOM, it all changed. Definitely something that has taken me years, to accept.

I often hold back and miss out in social time with friends, stag parties, special birthdays you name it. This is something I truly miss, I miss the banter and good crack. My friends are great though, they seem to understand and many of them have supported me to ensure I don’t miss out, which really doesn’t go unnoticed. The holidays I go on are funded by my wife. Without her, I would of not been able to go on holiday, she is my true saviour and allows me the freedom to keep living and experiencing life, without having to miss out completely. I love to travel and experience different cultures, I think travel is one of life’s greatest gifts, it offers us freedom and I am truly lucky that my wife also has the same passion. Without it I’d feel pretty trapped, it’s my escape.

With all that said I am proud to say I got through it and I am going from strength to strength both personally and professionally. It’s been a difficult and time consuming road. Strating from scratch and delving into a completely new line of work has been tough but it’s also been an exciting challenge and I am really excited for the future.

I may not be mr money bags right now but let me tell you money certainly doesn’t buy you happiness, yes it definitely helps 😉 but actually what makes me happy is far from financially driven.

I know that each day I fight the biggest fight to achieve my goals and I am and will continue to smash the shit out if them. Life is truly what you make it and I plan to make mine truly amazing so watch this space.

Let me tell you something though, that all of my followers and supporters are truly the ones that build me up each day, so thank you for that. I need you all and I am truly grateful for the strength you give me.

With that said I want to wish you all a great holiday weekend. Be merry, have fun and be grateful for all that is good in your life.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my blog.

Please feel free to leave your comments or any questions you may have.

Hope you all had a enjoyable bank holiday weekend?
During today’s blog I would like to touch upon a slightly different subject. As my disability tends to be a focal subject of most of my blogs, I’d like to take the opportunity to talk about how I take care of myself and what makes me feel good, bar keeping fit.
For me personally it can be something quite simple such as wearing nice clothes, taking care of my skin, a little bit of pampering from time and even wearing nice jewellery. It doesn’t need to be espensive or extravagant but just enough to make me feel my best and give me that feel good factor.
Here are some of the clothing brands that I love to wear and recommend; Liquor N Poker , Farther Sons , Good for Nothing , Sinners Attire , Sik silk, I personally find these brands good value for money, great quality, fashion forward and Most importantly they fit me well, as I sometimes find it hard to find clothes that fit my physic perfectly. It can often be a case of fitting well on the top half and poorly on the bottom half, especially trousers I find that my legs are often too big to get into high street branded jeans. I personally find that high street stores such as Zara and river island really do-not cater for the more muscular physic, because of this shopping can become quite a stressful task. The brands I’ve mentioned above seem to fit me just 👌🏻 so these are definitely my go to for quality, fit, style and price.
When it comes down to male beauty products and aftershaves I tend to opt for Bulldog Skincare , Evo Haircare and Chanel Aftershave. I really rate the bulldog moisturiser, it smooth and has a great “manly” scent 😝 which somehow makes me feel more comfortable in applying moisturiser.
I do like to wear the odd bit of jewellery, especially watches, they are definitely my guilty pleasure. I recently got my hands on a Swole O Clock , which I have to say is a very impressive piece of wrist wear. I also have a couple of Michael Kors watches, which I would definitely rate for quality and longevity.
I’m the first to admit that I am into taking care of myself and make it a priority. Some people like to treat themselves to a takeaway or piece of cake I like to have regular haircuts, massages, thread my brows and have regular waxing treatments, which I must say is great if you train regularly.
I personally think that a persons appearance says a lot about how they portray themselves, it shows a level of self respect. There is no shame in my game 😝 and love looking and feeling good and why not. After all there is no better investment than in yourself. Especially in today’s day and age, I think it is more acceptable for a male to invest more time in their appearance.
When you live with a disability visible or invisible to me it’s the feel and good look factor that gives you confidence.
I would like to finish with the quote:

I say, dress to impress yourself. Listen to your inner muse and take a chance. Wear something that says “Here I am!” today.

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Welcome to the life of James Sutliff

Keep an eye out on blogs on everything that's involved with my life and story.
From fitness, what I eat, the companies who support me on my journey and photoshoots I am involved in
Also you will be shown my real struggles with living with Dystonia.